Digging through the changes
by DarkAngelsShadow
Summary: We all have a weakness some of ours are easier to identify Daryl, look me in the eyes. Caryl story Rated M Was originally apart of a drabble series until it was removed from the site.


I'm very sorry if you happened to have read this already but one of my stories where removed from the sight and this is one of the one shots that where in it, Sorry for any confusion. Vickih requested this song fic if you are into poetry and like uniquely written stories you should look her up... She has a very unique way of reading between the lines and getting into the mind set of the ones she is writing about. Thank you for reading I hope you enjoy.

**Disclaimer** I don't own AMC's The Walking Dead or any of its characters, wishful hopen aside. nor do i own Dig by incubus. or All that remains- the waiting one nor do i own Massive attack's angel. Whos wonderful lyrics and tune helped me to write this.

**Warning **This is rated M MA for a reason. If you don't want to read smut pass up the ~~

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**Digging through the changes**

Somewhere deep in the thickness of a haunted forest, high up in the rolling hills, a lonely hunter ran. He ran for the freedom he felt in his escape, the adrenalin pumping the muscles in his legs to move faster and farther. He ran for the love of it, but most of all he ran alone._ Now the quiet is my release and I feel so lonely. _His feet carrying him over rough terrain of overly grown vegetation and fallen logs. The suns light acting as his guide as he lost himself among the pack of roaming predators. _How did you think I would feel? You fuckin' threw me aside again_. The hunter's wounded instincts were screaming out at him, leading him onwards along an unknown path. His lone wolf spirit crying out in despair, the call of the wild pushing him onward farther and deeper away from what had wounded him. _How did you think I would feel, I won't let you hurt me again. _His brother, Merle had left one last scar upon his body. Alone he ran away from the memory of cold blue dead accusing brown eyes. _Toughest asshole I ever met, my brother. Feed him a hammer, he'd crap out nails._

A blue eyed woman was chasing him shouting out at him. "**_We all have a weakness some of ours are easier to identify Daryl, look me in the eyes."_** Even now as he made his escape through the woods the phantom spirit was following him, as he pushed on faster and farther away from the memory of his deceit brother. Merle's phantom form lays in his arms, those dead cold brown eyes gazing up at him, taunting him, as he carried him even know though his body was back at the prison, Merles final resting place along the rest of the hunters fallen family.

"_I'm nothen' to you boy; I can see that now, so go, just walk away from me, yer blood." _Merle's voice accusing and haunting him causing him to push his body further then his known limits trying to escape from identifying every emotional weakness running though him as he gave in to his need to run._ I'm torn apart I can't believe you'd stand there and watch me bleed._

Daryl hadn't known at the time he had gone to find his brother that Merle had fought with bared teeth refusing to give in to the pain and beg. Merle and Daryl Dixon where not men who would beg, they had been outcast of society their whole life, and had never turned to another soul for anything before. So why would he start doing such a thing now_. I lost the best friend that I ever had__. **And I can't even ask for forgiveness. We can't even make a pact to never speak them words again.**_

Daryl's eyes filling with angry tears as he is slowing his run throughout the twisting forest with a shake of his fist he shouts at the clouded blue skies. **_Yes, you are my friend._**

"NO, Merle wouldn't beg, he fucking wouldn't!"Falling to his knees his legs losing the strength to keep him upright for another moment Daryl beat at the ground his hands quickly becoming a bloody mess."Fought for his life he did, every last breath in his body he fuckin' fought for, even as that sick dick head wanna be governor put a bullet in him leaven' him for dead_." _Letting his head falling upon the ground to hide his weeping eyes from the light of the day as sobs fell from his mouth.

_Merle still didn't beg, "_damnit Merle_!" Damn you how could you do this to me? Betrayed by my closest friend, my own damn brother! Forgive me for not being there! "_How could you do this to me?"_ I won't let you hurt me again. _ His brother would hunt beside him no longer, yet he would always be a part of Daryl's pack. Daryl's soul cried out into the light of day. "Who can I depend on now_?" I feel so lost so alone_.

Flash backs of his time spent with out Merle and the pain he had caused others to feel where now running on replay in his memory. His memories took him right away to his first real conversation he ever had with Carol. Daryl had been so nervous feeling more along the lines of a teenager presenting a flower to his chosen lady. **_We all have something that digs at us._** No in reality he was a forty year old man presenting a grieving mother with a single rose for the first time in his life. He couldn't help the feelings of being anxious,**_ "At least we dig each other,"_** as if the act he was about to perform was wrong and someone… Merle his mind had screamed at the time was waiting to point and laugh at his fumbling as his eyes moved around camp. His body pumping with adrenalin was spiking the nerves though out him to come to life making his muscles twitch as he made to look around, make sure there was no other soul inside that RV with her.

Grabbing up an empty beer bottle and wishing there was something more worthy lying around he could put the flower in, and coming up empty handed with disappointment and hopen at that time that she wouldn't laugh at him for being a dirty red neck presenting her with a flower in a beer bottle, he took a deep cleansing breath trying to calm the arrows that where coursing there way underneath his skin. The words he had spoken to her that day came back to meet his lips once more as if it was just yesterday.

"It's a Cherokee Rose. The story is that when American soldiers were moving Indians off their land on the Trail of Tears, the Cherokee mothers were grieving and crying so much 'cause they were losing their little ones along the way from exposure and disease and starvation. A lot of them just disappeared." Remembering the look on her face and the tears making their way down her smiling face and how that simple smile had made him feel alive for the first time, made him feel like a somebody.

"So the elders, they said a prayer; asked for a sign to uplift the mothers' spirits, give them strength and hope. The next day this rose started to grow where the mothers' tears fell." He'd had such a hard time bringing that little girl up even if this whole speech of his was about her the painful look that came over Carol's eyes at the mention of her daughter made him want to turn right around and walk back out into them woods again.

"I'm not fool enough to think there's any flowers blooming for my brother. But I believe this one bloomed for your little girl." _I was wanting to touch her face wipe away them tears promise to bring her girl back to her, Gods why am I such a fool, should of hugged her held her don somethen' more searched deeper and longer._

Then he'd gone off and gotten injured and ended up calling her "A stupid bitch."_ She's been tryen' to tell ya she cared for you even back then you dick, his subconscious mocked him. _But he'd been so mad at her words, at her shaking faith that at the time he couldn't understand the hidden meaning to her words until it was too damn late. **_So when weakness turns my ego up._**

Being late was something he was getting good at as he watched the scene flash in front of his eyes. Sophia stumbling out of the Green's barn and catching Carol in his arms as she went to run past him to her dead daughter. To the scene of finding T-Dog and carol's scarf and that gut wrenching feeling that had torn through him at not being fast enough brave and quicker to have saved her from what possibly could be a horrible fate. To finding her in that small space she had taken shelter in, in an attempt to save alive. How he had wanted to fall to his knees and give thanks to whoever would listen to him for being willing to spare her. The unwanted tears pushing at his eyes, even as he bent down to check her out, they weren't tears of pain for a change. No, they were tears of gratitude and joy. The first time he could ever remember that kind of pressure pushing down on his chest begging to come out in the form of laughter from his thickened throat.

_"Anywhere you are, I am near, anywhere you go, and I'll be there. We all have something that digs at us at least we dig each other." _He could hear her voice repeating her words of forgiveness from earlier in his head ashe caught a chill on the wind and it was still frozen on his skin. Before the walkers had hit he hadn't been aware of just how much this one slip of a woman had affected him. Had taught him somewhere along the lines that he was more than some red neck piece of trash. That he could be a man of honor the type of man she had been speaking of about wanting.

Always Carol, non-other in their group meant as much to him as she did.**_ I know you'll count on the me from yesterday._** There was something about the way their souls would come together as if the two of them where united through something powerful. Daryl knew what it was they both shared a pain, a pain that reached so deep down that if someone else where to look for it, it would not, could not be found. No this sort of darkness could only be recognized by a similar wounded spirit. Daryl had been awakened to his own hidden weakness after finding Carol that day, thinking he would find her as a walker. _How long I've waited, waited for you to come fuckin' back to me. _They had been slowly growing closer as friends. He hated himself for not being able to bring her baby girl back to her. He thought that the gods had forsaken him the day he had almost lost carol to the walkers. Fate must have been on his side when he found her, no the fates had been preparing him in their own way for yet an even greater loss.

The new found feelings of trust he found in Carol held him together. _What should I do when I feel so lonely_? It was in the growing friendship of something more he found with in her that was pushing him past his limits now as he staggered to his feet. _She's the only thing I can believe in, that I need to hold me here, but there's no way a woman like her would ever love a red neck man like me_.. Anger wasn't the emotion he battled with now, but the fear that constantly sat rooted deep in his mind that he would lose her. _You know there ain't no coming back when you're still carrying around the past. _The ghost of his brother's voice floats throughout his mind. "Fuck you Merle, you are the past."

Her eyes bearing down into him seeking out the path to follow down into his lone hunter soul, was what was now causing him to run back through the forest, back to Carol. _Still I can smell her here with me, her breath on my neck the feel of her body beside me. Comforting me as I finished filling in that grave, his grave._ The wind at his back like a phantom hand pushing him onward further closer to her and the message she had read hidden with in his eyes. "Daryl wait would you just stop and Look me in the eyes, let me know that you're all right_."_

"I'm fine woman, leave me the fuck alone already would ya." He had yelled at her pushing her away as he made his trek out of the jails gates and out into the forest. _I don't wanna live to waste another day underneath the shadow of mistakes I've made I'm sorry carol I just had to clear my mind 'Cuz I felt like I'm breaking inside, forgive me, dig me up help me to heal.** If I turn into another, dig me up woman from under what is covering the better part of me, **I know you can do it**.**_

Glimpses of the past few hours running though out his mind as if someone has hitting the replay button once more as a sick cruel joke, memories of a past he'd much rather forget. His weakness a slip of a woman, the hunter had never before needed anyone._ No longer am I on my own._

He had lain to rest the one soul he always depended on, _I think about why I'm alone by myself no one else to explain. _Daryl knew he needed Carol, as his body gained in speed heading back down from the hills, back to where he belonged by his friends side, her side. _Anytime you whisper my name, you'll see I'll be where ever you need me to be Daryl, whatever that may be,_ her caring voice ringing out in a gentle promise across his subconscious. Coming upon the gates of the prison Daryl can see Carol walking there back and forth she is working a worried line into the dirt ground. Her footsteps heavy on the ground working out a path to lead him home to her. _I won't be the last one in line, I finally figured out what's mine._

Carol finally taking note that Daryl is standing there at the gates his fingers through the links in the fence, jogs up to join him there looking him over searching for more than imaginary inflictions of bites and harm done to his body. Bringing her hand up to link it though the holes in the metal fencing, resting her hands there while wait for Carl to open the gate, Daryl moving his hand down and over hers to entwine their fingers.

"I know your pissed at me woman." Daryl looking at her beckoning no digging at her to look up at him,_ Look me in the eyes woman don't make me beg ya, I don't know if I can fucken' do it, but for you I'll sure fuckin' try_ _I ain't nobody's bitch._.

"Damn right I am Daryl." _shed some light on me Daryl please; tell me something that I'll believe in._

How could ya do that to me? Leave me here? I thought we had a silent pack, after you came back with Merle saying that you had a place now."Carol removes her hand from Daryl's grasp as he pulls away to enter the inner grounds of the prison.

Walking away from the gates, Carol leads the way up to the southern guard tower. The guard tower that isn't often used and usually forgotten about for it guards nothing more than a cave dug out of the side of the hills._ I thought you were leaving me again Daryl…._

_"_How could you? What are words if you really don't mean them when you say them?" she whispers just loud enough for him to hear them as she makes her way up to her sanctuary in the guard tower.

"You know I aint perfect," _I'm never gonna be like you. _Daryl calls out following Carol up the stairs and into the dark enclosure."I've never been no god damn halo wearing angel," _but I want to for ya_ _please just this once give me a chance, you won't regret it_.

"Most people would take one look see my damn horns, and call me a devil." _But when it comes to you my heart, you are my angel Come from way above To bring me, teach me show me how to love. _Daryl's mind screams out as he comes up behind her, _wanna hold ya…_

Courage winning out over his fear he steps forward in the dark and engulfs Carol's waist in his arms. "I've never been a man of honor, but I Know I'm meant to be here now beside you here just like I am."_ I'm gonna be Standing right beside her tonight if she would only give me the damn chance, and I'm gonna be by her side for now until I die._

_"_Still getting' over the man I was, I would never leave you Carol, not when I needed you beside me the most. Would ya sing for me carol, I know you have a beautiful voice woman, heard ya sing several times before, could you sing for me now?" **_Remind me that we'll always have each other. When everything else is gone _**_in my life woman, don't want ya leaven me to**.**_

"Standing together that's what FRIENDS do, Daryl, if it helps to make you feel better, I'll sing not just for you, but for Merle." _don't leave me again Daryl please, can we ever be something more?_

"I'll find away, whatever it takes; I'll be there for you. So when you need me, just call on me And I hope it's not too late for me To bring you back to this place I don't wanna know how it Feels to here you say goodbye"Carol stands her ground her song through hoping her message has come out loud and true. Her body is coming to life like a small fire being doused in gasoline, at the feel of his arms around her. For the first time in a while since he last carried her threw the tombs, Carol feels warmth. The warmth is turning too quickly to ice as his arms slowly leave her body, leaving an aching longing left behind. _Shouldn't let myself feel this way, he'd never want a woman like me._

At the word, friends and after holding her while she sang, Daryl can't help the arrow of pain that shoots throughout him._ Should have known better, a woman like her would never want nothen' more in a man like me._ "I'll stand with ya Carol; it's what we **friends** do." He follows her with his eyes as she turns around giving him a nod. _Her eyes, she's on the dark side of neutral, every man in sight wants her I know._

"I got watch next, I better be heading over." Keeping her head up and forcing her chin not to tremble at the pressure of tears building behind her eyes, trying her hardest to keep them at bay, as they attempt to fight their way free Carol makes her way to the door.

"Stay safe woman." _Won't be far if you have need of me. To love you, love you, love you ... You are my angel sent to me from way above._

"Nine lives remember." She smiles back at him as tearfully, turning to make her way quickly out the door and down the stairs. Running as fast away as her feet will let her as the sound of broken pieces ring out in any willing listening ears of a heart shattering into a thousand pieces being left upon the stairs. While unknown to her his was doing the damn same thing.

It had been a few months since they had fought the governor and they had won. A short victory for their side, for while they had gained in numbers and strength they now had trouble of another sort, someone was feeding the growing hers of walkers. For Daryl this wasn't the worst thing happening in his books, he had been watching Carol a lot more often lately keeping his silent promise.

She had been more reserved and quiet more so than the usual quiet Carol. Unfortunately, he hadn't had a chance to speak with her about the happenings lately; all these new people had brought added mouths to food. He hand been going out deeper and farther into his beloved forest in order to help provide for their growing numbers with in the prison. Rick called on him more now and days, to help with runs into uncharted territories.

Once they had left the guard tower that night, her hidden smiles and gentle touches reserved for only him had seas to exist. She'd all but disappeared into her work with the smaller children, coming out only when necessary during meals, hang laundry and for her shifts on patrol. He'd been hesitant to approach her, unsure what would happen if he did, too damn shy at not knowing what words to say to her. To express his feelings of missing there time together. It felt as though she was avoiding him_. It's killing me, why does needing her do this to me?_ All this time spent without talking to her left him wondering leaving questions on his mind. Those questions had him thinking all the more, _Can I be who she needs? How do I be that man? Does she even need a man?_

Daryl watched her from his spot up in the guard tower while he was finishing up his turn on duty. Carol was down there hanging laundry, always with in eye distance but never with in reaching distance. She was out there again doing one of her choirs with that big gorilla of a man Tyreese.

Daryl's fist clenching around the bottle of whiskey he's had stashed up there in the guard tower. **_We all have a sickness._** He couldn't help it, without anyone to pull him back from the brink he'd fallen on old habits and was once again having a drink. At the sight of seeing Carol with Tyreese, Daryl's empty fist leaves an indent in the guard tower's wall.**_ That cleverly attaches and multiplies, no matter how we try._** His hands are aching with the need to strangle the man down there with his angel. Every fiber with in his being is begging for him to go down there and lay into the man that was making his woman laugh in that way that made her spirit seem care free. Daryl's jaw was clenching and his heart was beating to the point that it felt as those it would burst from his chest. Raising the bottle of whiskey to his lips Daryl finds the bottle empty; _my day just gets better and better._

Throwing the bottle down on to the floor Daryl smiles at the satisfying sound the bottle makes when it shatters into a dozen pieces there on the floor at his feet. _She was my woman, even if she fuckin' didn't know. How much I loved her so but it's too late now._ Daryl feelings are bouncing around in that small space of a room. His chest is tightening an overwhelming pain he has never felt before.**_ We all have someone that digs at us._** As though it isn't the bottle that has made that sound of breaking but his heart being torn out and broken into those pieces, _I've let her go; I should just let her go._ With every giggle and joyous laughter that springs from her lips his anger rises. **_ At least we dig each other. _**_Thought you cared for me carol, guess I might be wrong._ _I'm going through changes Carol, need ya to see me, bring me back into myself, and dig me up and out of this hell._

Carol's days had been kept busy beyond the normal. She was missing Daryl like crazy. Between trying to keep up the rations of food to feed the many mouths and being constantly needed for his use with the bow for runs they had barely seen each other._ I know my better half would fade without you Daryl_. She wasn't sure what emotions she felt that night when she had sang for him. The fact that he even knew that she loved to sing had been a surprise to her. She'd only ever sang for Sophia.

Carol knew for a fact that her heart had broken that night. _All my doubt is a staircase for you up and out of this place and you took it Daryl you've felt me. _Carol had said what she thought he had needed to hear that night. _If the first step is the one you believe in the most, and your first step was to let me go, why didn't you keep me with you there?_

Carol knowing Daryl Dixon wasn't a man of very many words and never one to share his affection let alone his emotions but when he held her that night she had hoped he was doing so for a different reason. Now though she wasn't very sure if he was still that man she could depend on. _Come back to me let me wash away the shadow of all the guilt you carry._ His moods had grown darker and he had begun drinking. He though she hadn't noticed the empty bottles in his cell but it was hard to ignore what she would find while collecting his laundry.

Carol's days where filled with choirs and keeping busy while her nights had become filled with nothing more than nightmares. Awful dreams of Daryl turning his back on her and walking away, no longer of any use to him, they were slowly changing her world for the worse... She was thankful that when lunch was over she would be back in the sunlight back out in the yard where she could keep a watch on him.

Tyreese had watched her struggle while carrying the heavy burden of wet laundry out to the line and he had offered to help her carry it out and hang it on the line. That's where Carol stood now with him tending to her choir while listening to the man beside her tell tales of his daughters adventures throughout her earlier years of growing up. The two of them had that in common, they had both lost daughters to walkers and in a way they had found a kindred spirit in the loss that they shared. Carol paused in her work and glimpsed up at the guard tower when she heard the sound of glass shattering. **_So when sickness turns my ego up._**_ Wonder what that's all about; please don't do anything stupid Daryl_. As Carol looked down in her hands shaking out the familiar shirt there she paused hearing the guard tower door slam open and watched as the angry hunter made his way quickly over to her.

"Are you serious? Are you with this great gorilla now?" A stumbling arm waving wildly Daryl asked coming up close to her face. Carol can smell the whiskey lingering there on his breath and knowing he wouldn't be like this if he hadn't of been drinking, is causing her pain. Before she can give him an answer though, Tyreese pulls Daryl away from her his big hands on Daryl's angel vest.

"Get your hands off me! You can't stop me from speaking to her, you don't own that woman." Daryl yells at Tyreese the man who is holding him as he goes to take a swing at his head and misses when his opponent ducks.

"Your shit faced drunk man, why don't you head in and sleep it off. I'll take care of Carol." Tyreese says ducking out of the way and pushing Daryl backwards.

"You better watch your mouth, sunshine. She isn't yours to watch over, better yet why don't you take a tally see how many times I've saved her ass? Do what you want, just get the fuck out of here, MY WOMAN and I need to fuckin' talk." Not realizing the words fallen from his mouth Daryl takes a step back moving to the side and wrapping Carol up into his arms where he knows she belongs. **_I know you'll act as a clever medicine._**

"It's alright he won't hurt me, go ahead head inside I'll see you later." Carol managed to call out to Tyreese in her stunned state of mind at Daryl's words. While she is taking in the heat of his body and the movement of his limbs as he is pressing into her forcing her to move up against the cement wall of the prison.

"I'm done being a coward who acts as if he has no damn balls in his pants Carol. Couldn't stand to hear you laugh at that man and see the way he makes ya smile." **_If I turn into another, dig me up from under what is covering, the better part of me _**_please women see me. The voice inside Daryl's head was shouting._

Moving up along the wall Daryl turns Carol around his arms braised on the prison walls encaging her in a warm bubble of his scent. Breathing him in deeply while her body shudders from the feel of him a realization of just how much she has truly missed Daryl overcomes her.

"Daryl di…." Carol attempts to speak and is caught up in a world of amazement as Daryl's head comes down to hers and she finds his warm chapped lips slanting over hers asking for entrance.

Getting lost in the feeling of his lips on hers, Carol lets out a soft moan of want. She has been longing for this since she doesn't know when. Her body calling out to his as she grants him entrance and begins a slow coursing dance to bring his tongue out to meet hers. The kiss is sloppy and oh so pain strikingly slow, but it feels so right to her because it's him. It's all Daryl and the way that he is. All too soon the kiss over and Daryl was pulling her along by the hand.

"Taking Carol with me out hunting won't be back till tomorrow. We'll camp out at that cabin we came across the last time I took ya with me." Informing Rick as they are walking at a fast pace out the gate and Rick is heading back in from his resent run.

"Alright stay safe look after each other, don't be going and doing something foolish. Might grab up Michonne and the rest of the group meet up with you their later, we all could use a break from the woodbury folks." Rick calls out to the couple who are making quick work to Daryl's bike.

"Good thing I've been keeping the bike outside of the prison in case there was a need to leave quickly." Daryl mutters to himself. "Get on woman; we got matters that need settling you and me." Daryl pushing Carol close to the bike leaning into her, his breath tickling her neck as he stands there behind her..

"I'm not getting on the bike Daryl, you've been drinking and you aren't thinking strait. Hand me the keys, you can play bitch this time." Carol gives Daryl her biggest smile and brightest eyes as she tries not to crack up at the picture in her head of Daryl in a black summer dress and a pair of her red high heels as she pushes him away from her, her arm out stretched hand open fingers wiggling asking for the keys.

"Woman I know you, you best get that damn picture out of your head I aint no one's bitch, come on I know the hotel isn't all that far of a walk just a few miles through the woods." Enfolding her hand once more in his Daryl reaches into his side bag, pulling out a small backpack he uses to carry emergency supplies. _You pussy_, Daryl can hear his brothers familiar voice laughing at him..

"On second thought," tossing the keys to the bike to carol, "Show me what you've learned so far from our past lessons woman. Why don't ya climb on, take me for a ride." Swinging one leg over the bike Daryl takes the seat in the back waiting for carol to hop on. His clouded drunken hazy mind clearing at the thought of riding behind Carol, has him sobering up quickly, as his blood rushes at haven her in his arms.

With her mouth in an upturn smirk Carol swung her leg over and starts up the bike. "You best hold on Daryl, you're in for the time of your life." _I already am angel, I already am._

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Under Daryl's watchful eyes and gentle touch, Carol quickly fell into a speed that she felt comfortable driving in. Being held in his arms while having his trust and faith in her made the pieces of her broken heart soar up to the sky and hopefully mend itself back together. _Don't hurt me Daryl, please. _

Following the sweeping wave of the drive under Daryl's instructions, Carol brought the bike out of the thick of trees and leaves she had been told to drive down. Coming to the end of the lush trees their branches growing thinner Carol can see an opening a head that takes her breath away. Bringing the bike to a stop in the circular drive way Carol shuts the bike off and leans back into Daryl. His strong arms wrapped around her waist as his head in leaning down on her shoulder. Daryl's lips are so close to her lips that if she where to turn her head a fraction of an inch she would feel the life coming off of them. He looked and felt real enough sitting there behind her. Strong built firm massive, absolutely all male. Carol had yet to truly grasp that this wasn't a dream but her reality in the present time. Feeling the warmth of his body as it sinks into her skin burrowing deep into her blood veins she takes in the beauty before her as she realizes this is their time.

There in breath taking hues of purple orange and yellow the sun was setting, dipping down making a path into the tree line. A crescent shaped lake sat underneath the line of trees reflecting the beauty of woven colors across that brilliant sky. Swinging a leg over the bike she gives a turn of her body, Carol wanted to see his face. She didn't want to leave the comfort those arms banded around her gave her but she had an urge of longing a need that was consuming her to see this handsome lone warrior painted by the beauty of the twilight sky

She rose up and looked down upon him as he made to stand up. "**_Remind me that we'll always have each other_**. I need you Carol; I've never had a need or want for another person as I have for you. I want to know how forever feels with you,**_ when everything else is gone._**" Daryl's seductive voice touched a part of her that had long been buried. His words shooting a sizzling pathway to her core warming her body.

Daryl stood there before her proudly his eyes burning a deep pathway down into her soul. A crashing of ocean waves against a backdrop of mixed fading colors. "Just like that big orange ball, sinkin' in the water knows when its time is drawing near…. I'm no fool of a man to think that you could ever love me, hell knows I aint no angel. I've got scars so deep they aint ever gonna fade. But if you'd let me love you, I'd do more than love you woman, I'd lay my life down for ya." He whispered, "I've longed for you, like nothen' I've ever felt before. I know I'm a condemned man for my many sins but if I could possess you for however long you'd have me, I'd die a happy man."

Carol couldn't tare her eyes away from the overwhelming pain; it was rooted there deep with in his eyes. An aching of twisted withering roots that had been woven so deeply together that it formed a cage made of thorns, around the very thing that made him Daryl, his soul. Before the tears could leave her eyes, leaning her body into his chest and cuddling up to him like a kitten. Taking in a deep breath and letting out a sigh of contentment as she reached her arms around him to stroke his back. "Is this a dream? Daryl."

Daryl pulled back flinching at the feel of her hands running along his scared back. "You aren't mad at me?"

"Why would I have the need to be? Sitting up and taking his hands in hers, laying his hands over her rapidly beating heart, "This is what you do to me Daryl, how can I ever be mad at this?" Feeling her rapid beating heart under his hands, bring Daryl to the realization that, _I'm not in this alone_…

* * *

~~ Daryl nodded bringing his head against hers inhaling her warm lily scent. Figuring it was now or never Daryl takes his chances and leans his head down and kisses her. Finally he was kissing her, deeply to the point that her spirit had taken wing. So thoroughly was his touch and mouth on hers, that neither one of them gave a care to the world they were currently standing in. There were no dead bodies reanimated with life. No mad man on the loose attempting to ruin their home and take their lives over by making them run away once more.

No this moment in time was just for the two of them. The joining at last of their two searching spirits, they had been holding out long enough. As they broke apart to breathe life back into their rapidly depleting lounges, Daryl buried his face into Carol's slender neck. Nibbling along that her shoulder line and up her neck to her ear. Oh how he loved the taste of her as he did his best he could to not growl out with the desperation of wanting her. Resting his hands on her hips he gave a deep joyful chuckle, "Guess this means that your mine?"

"You have me Daryl for as long as you want me."

"Then I'll take ya for forever woman, when everything else is gone, I'll still want you, even after my last dien' breathe... I'm yours if you want me."

"I only want you for as long as there are changes Daryl, and in a world that never stays the same, just in case you didn't get the message… your mine hunter. You're mine."

Daryl was up and off of the bike before she could speak let alone blink her eyes. Daryl's eyes were on fire with a ferocity that matched with the growl in his voice "No woman, your mine."

Without any warning without any words Daryl was swooping down and picking her up changing her whole world. Carrying her over to the safety of the dock and laying her down as their eyes did lock. Carol didn't mind the smooth planks of wood lying under her body, for the moment he set her down he was on top of her, pinning her down with his weight caressing her, loving. There he tenderly with clumsy movements of hands, taking his time, he removed her armor little by little he was staking his claim. Stroking nibbling kissing to life every bit of exposed skin he uncovered. Standing up looking down on her, Daryl slowly shed his own clothes his angel leather vest falling away hidden by his own armor no longer. Looking down at his pile of clothes Daryl raises his head a grimace is his expression, "I'll have to take a dive in that lake at least once before I'm fit for you."

The golden orange and purple hues of the sunset bathing him in their light, creating a halo that encircled him, he looked like a fallen angel in flight. He was angel, _her fallen angel_ but he was also her weakness her demons and devils. He would become her savior and lover this twilight. "Well then, I expect you to get started, that is a strong body I have plans to cling to, scars and all Daryl no need to be shy," standing up and turning around her back to him. "I've got them too, our two spirits match, and we both crave each other."

Turning around and grabbing his hand, "I'll join you, best bet that walkers can't swim, we've been lucky so far to have no run ins best not to chance it." Walking to the edge of the dock with his woman's hand firmly grasped with in his Daryl jumps into the water. Coming to the surface and not being able to hold back at the sight of her any longer. Pulling Carol close grabbing her up in his arms while treading water, Daryl slants his mouth over hers. Two tongues fighting together moaning and sighs uniting these two lovers. His kiss sending warmth like slow flowing honey thought out there bodies. Carol find herself sagging against his chest feeling as starved for his touch with her as he surely is for her.

Ending the kiss and nibbling his way up to her ear lobe, "I can't wait a minute more to make you mine, my lover," he rasped. Leaving all feelings of being shy set aside Carol in confidence reaches down and grabs a hold of his pulsating member. "Then you shall wait no longer." Hearing Carol's words Daryl grasped a hold of her hips in his powerful hands and rising out of the water, impaling her on the tip of his lengthening pulsating member. His eyes looking up into hers silently communicating the need for this to happen between them, and for it to be okay with her, his awkward shyness and little faith in himself shining though as he props her up against the dock floating on the water.

Carol using his own moving momentum against the current in the water changes positions pushing him over and forcing her dark lover down onto his back. Straddling Daryl in one fluid motion sinking his member deeply with in her, their eyes connecting loving each other as their hearts become tightly woven together as they roll around becoming lost in each other, two bodies moving causing ripples in the water. **_Oh, each other when everything else is gone Carol, _**_I'll always have this memory of ya. You here with me just like this**. ~~**_

* * *

After a while of making love laying there on that beautiful lake, their world should have taken on the change for the better. However with the warning bells going off inside Daryl's head, those changes in life Carol had mentioned where on their way and they were speaking of darkness ahead. Gathering his sleeping woman up Daryl carried her back over to the bike telling his Carol, "Somethin's wrong I can feel it, get dressed Carol, we gotta get to moven' our asses'"

Grabbing her face in both of his hands after quickly redressing Daryl delves deeply into his soul trying to express his feelings of loving her. A sense of foreboding thickly on the air, Daryl's desperately clinging to this kiss his thoughts silently screaming out in his mind that it might be the last one that they share for all time. "No matter what woman, don't you leave my side when we get there."

Carol with a nod of her head and holding on tight, as the fallen angel in front of her wearing his leather wings spread out in flight, starts up the bike and rolls it down the drive. "Hang on woman, don't ever let me go." Shouting over the wind flying in her face, "I'll never do that to you Daryl, I love you. **_We'll always have each other, when everything else is gone."_**

* * *

Hope that you enjoyed this. Drop me a line let me know if you think I sured enter it into the CARYL one Shot contest. Hope you all are haven a wonderful day. oxox Tula


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